Monday, June 19, 2006

today's Monday Morning Memo

Thought I'd throw in an inspiring excerpt from today's Monday Morning Memo... it's definitely worth sharing... and worth reading a couple times.

While speaking at the Sorbonne in Paris, April 23, 1910, audacious Teddy Roosevelt looked the French coldly in the eyes and delivered his famous admonition, "It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

And you wondered why the French tend not to like Americans.

now, is that good stuff or what?

Monday, June 12, 2006

another fog blog

I was driving to work through some fog one day last week. I love driving through fog. it seems like I always have some sort of spiritual breakthrough every time I drive through it.
here’s how it went: I was driving and thinking: dang, I can’t see very far past the fog… can’t see where the road leads… I see several feet ahead… enough to feel safe going ahead… but can’t see the entire road and/or landscape. and then I started thinking… that’s how I feel about life right about now. I can only see so far… can’t see past the fog… I don’t know what’s ahead but I can see enough to feel safe moving forward. this sucks… but it’s kinda cool in a way…

moving into the unknown requires trust & faith that there’s actually something or some road in front of you to go to. as I was thinking about this… I was thinking about how I knew where it was I wanted to go(I knew the location of my destination) but could only see a little bit in front of me at the time. and then all at once it seemed that God was trying to tell me something & a light went on. I know your destination- I know the road in front of you. I know how you’ll get there. You just focus on what’s in front of you right now and I’ll lead you down the road you need to go. You know where you want to go and I know how to get you there. Trust Me.
sounds easier than it is though... it requires a daily decision to trust Him... a daily decision to believe that God knows what He's doing no matter what it feels like & He is strong enough & big enough for anything that might come my way. But like He reminds me, I just need to focus on Him- right now- and let Him take care of the future.
so there you go everybody. :)

Thursday, June 01, 2006

I just received some sad news.
Russ Tatro, a great man of God, passed away this afternoon. Russ served through foreign missions since 1985. He and his wife, Wendy, served as missionaries in the nations of Guatemala, Liberia and Sierra Leone pioneering Bible training centers during their years in West Africa. Well over 100,000 students have graduated from LWM-affiliated Bible training centers and many of these graduates now serve as missionaries leading ministries throughout Africa and other parts of the world. They established Living Word Missions in 1993.He is survived by his wife and their two daughters. Pray for Wendy & the family that God will give them strength & comfort to continue the missions work that she & Russ started so many years ago.

rain

i'm at the coffee shop across the street utilizing their wifi.

it's raining outside... it's been raining a lot lately.

several weeks ago one of my friends was talking about kids and discipline. anyway, she said something about finding out what the child's "currency" is so that you could discipline them in the most effective way. each person has a different "currency". each person is different. somethings are more important or less important to others.
the day after we had that conversation, i asked my wise friend what she thought my currency might be... and i've continued to think about it off and on. what is your currency? what do you live by? mine is friendship.

Rebecca mentioned about a week ago that she thought people were trying to live their lives like Laguna Beach. what a good observation... i hadn't thought of it until she brought it up... and it's sad but true. so many people are trying to play the part... have perfect lives... have the look... have the image that everything is in control and everything is perfect. guess what? it's not. you're not on tv and people don't hear a theme song when they see you walking down the street. but i have to say that i do think that it's okay to have your own internal theme song playing in your own heart, soul & mind. pick a good one. pick one that helps and doesn't hurt. ultimately the only thing that can make you happy is a real relationship with God. when you can accept His love for you... things will be a lot easier...

thought i'd point you in the direction of one of my favorite blog reads.
http://www.xanga.com/mochaspree/486722050/loathing.html